6 Simple Steps to a DIY Pedicure

We show you how to turn your bathroom into a day spa with some at home pampering.

If you spend all week stuffing your feet into sweaty shoes or balancing on ridiculously high (but beautifully fashionable) high heels, give your feet a treat with this DIY pedicure.

What You’ll Need:

A large bowl or footbath of warm soapy water.

A nail brush.

An emery board.

Cotton wool.

An orange stick.

Nail clippers.

Nail polish remover.

Base coat, nail polish and a top coat

Foot cream.

A pumice stone.

A towel.

Cuticle remover.

Step 1: Cleanse

Soak your bare feet in warm soapy water for 10 minutes to soften your nails and skin and then remove any traces of old polish with your nail polish remover and some cotton wool.

Step 2: Trim

Take your nail clippers and trim your nails before using your emery board to smooth any edges. To finish, bevel your nails by holding the emery board upright and brushing in light downward strokes in the same direction to seal the layers of your toenail plate together.

Step 3: Exfoliate

Quickly soak your feet again for five minutes and then use your nailbrush to give your toes a quick scrub. To finish this step use your pumice stone to remove any dead skin and then dry your feet thoroughly with your towel.

Step 4: Prepare

Next, wrap your orange stick in cotton wool and then dip it into your cuticle remover and run it along the underneath and the sides of your nail and then gently push back your cuticles.

Step 5: Massage

If your toes are still moist, rub in some talcum powder and then massage your feet and ankles with your foot cream. When massaging, start at your foot and then work upwards towards your knee in sweeping movements.

Step 6: Apply Nail Polish

To complete your pedicure, use some slightly damp cotton wool to separate your toes and to prevent any polish smudging from toe to toe and then paint your nails with your base coat, color and top coat using the same method outlined in step 5 of our 6 Simple Steps to a DIY Manicure beauty article. For a perfect finish, dip your orange stick in some nail polish remover to clean up the edges of your toenails and then allow your polish to harden before slipping back into your shoes.

After some more pampering? Try combining this pedicure with the steps outlined in our beauty articles: 6 Simple Steps to a DIY Manicure and 6 Simple Steps to a DIY Facial.